31997D0592

COMMISSION DECISION of 29 July 1997 amending Decision 96/534/EC and Decision 96/535/EC on financial assistance from the Community for storage of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine in Italy and the United Kingdom (97/592/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), as last amended by Decision 94/370/EC (2), and in particular Article 14 thereof,

Whereas by virtue of Council Decision 91/666/EEC of 11 December 1991 establishing Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines (3), establishment of antigen banks is part of the Community's action to create Community reserves of foot-and-mouth vaccine;

Whereas Article 3 of that Decision designates the Istituto Zooprofilatico Sperimentale die Brescia in Italy and the Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright, United Kingdom as antigen banks holding Community reserves;

Whereas the functions and duties of these antigen banks are specified in Article 4 of that Decision; whereas Community assistance must be conditional on accomplishment of these;

Whereas Community financial assistance should be granted to these banks to enable them to carry out the said functions and duties;

Whereas by Commission Decision 96/534/EC of 4 September 1996 on financial assistance from the Community for storage in Italy of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine (4) the Community provided financial assistance to Italy for the stocking of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine for the period 1 August 1996 to 31 July 1997;

Whereas by Commission Decision 96/535/EC of 4 September 1996 on financial assistance from the Community for storage in the United Kingdom of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine (5) the Community provided financial assistance to the United Kingdom for the stocking of antigen for the production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine for the period 1 August 1996 to 31 July 1997;

Whereas it is found desirable to extend the arrangements for granting Community financial assistance for a period of five months;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision 96/534/EC is hereby amended as follows:

In Article 3 the words 'ECU 70 000` are replaced by 'ECU 99 000` and the date '31 July 1997` replaced by '31 December 1997`.

Article 2

Decision 96/535/EC is hereby amended as follows:

In Article 3 the words 'ECU 60 000` are replaced by 'ECU 85 000` and the date '31 July 1997` replaced by '31 December 1997`.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to Italy and the United Kingdom.

Done at Brussels, 29 July 1997.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 19.

(2) OJ No L 168, 2. 7. 1994, p. 31.

(3) OJ No L 368, 31. 12. 1991, p. 21.

(4) OJ No L 229, 10. 9. 1996, p. 14.

(5) OJ No L 229, 10. 9. 1996, p. 16.